Fairness - and Fremantle - turn out the winners in AFL's points
decision

ST Kilda have warned that confusion will surround future matches
as a result of the AFL's historic decision to reverse the drawn
result of Sunday's game in Launceston and award the four points to
Fremantle.

St Kilda president Rod Butterss said the decision would have
"far-reaching consequences". The ruling was delivered last night
after the AFL commission deliberated for three hours.

While Fremantle expressed relief that their appeal had been
successful, the Saints left the door open for a legal challenge,
with Butterss saying the club would decide today what, if any,
action it would take.

Butterss said it was possible St Kilda would accept the
commission's ruling, which was based on the view that the field
umpire had been unable to end the game because the timekeeper
failed to sound the siren repeatedly until the game ceased.

St Kilda vice-president Ross Levine, a lawyer, warned the
decision would lead to confusion over when a quarter had ended.

"My question is what happens this weekend at the end of any
quarter if in the last second the umpire pays a mark that results
in a score. The timekeeper can say, 'Well, actually, I first
sounded it before that'," Levine said.

However, St Kilda's argument was dismissed by the head of
Fremantle's legal team, David Grace, QC, who also sits on the Court
of Arbitration of Sport.

Grace said that because the result of the match had been altered
from a Fremantle win to a draw because of an error by the
timekeeper, the alteration was caused by an off-field mistake, not
a judgement made on-field.

"This was an issue that did not arise in the field of play,"
Grace said. "This was an issue outside the control or knowledge of
anyone on the field of play. This was outside interference in the
outcome of the game. So it doesn't set a precedent for any on-field
dispute. It doesn't set a precedent for anything, really. It's
merely an application or an interpretation of the laws of
Australian football which determine that the game finishes
immediately after the first siren."

■ That the AFL took into account not simply the rules, but
"the spirit, the fairness of the competition" in reversing the
result.

■ That the AFL had based its decision on the fact the
umpire had been unable to raise his arms because the timekeeper had
not "discharged his duty" by sounding the siren. The timekeeper had
acknowledged his error and been suspended. "Our games are 20
minutes plus time-on," Demetriou said. "They're no more the
umpire didn't get an opportunity to raise his arms."

■ That the AFL "accepts full responsibility for what took
place and unreservedly apologises to the clubs involved, the
players and all football fans." Demetriou added: "We let many, many
people down."

■ That a series of measures would be taken to ensure there
was no repeat of the incident.

These measures included: an urgent review of sirens and audio
systems at all grounds; stronger instructions to timekeepers and
investigating new technologies to ensure "that field umpires are
alerted immediately the siren sounds" for this weekend's round.

Evans dismissed potential future problems. "We talked about it
in our deliberations, we don't think so. We think it was a unique
set of circumstances," he said.

AFL football operations would investigate the actions of
Fremantle officials, such as coach Chris Connolly, at the end of
the game. Connolly ran onto the ground amid the chaos.

In responding to questions about the precedent, Evans drew a
distinction between "in-play" mistakes by umpires and "procedural"
failings outside the field of play. "I don't think the analogy
between the two cuts any ice."

The corrected score is Fremantle 14.10 (94) beat St Kilda 13.15
(93).

Evans said the commission had made a unanimous decision.

The AFL stood by its decision to declare the game a draw to
betting agencies after the game. Demetriou said he was sympathetic
to punters, but the ramifications of the reversal were a secondary
consideration.

Fremantle chairman Rick Hart shook hands with Butterss and said
his club was pleased to be part of "football folklore".